Automobile shock-absorber.



- w. A. JOHNSON.

AUTOMOBILE SHOCK-ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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45 upright position to the rear spring and run- WILLIAM L :ronnson, or egrcaeo, rumors.

su'romomm snocx ansonnm jpecmcation of Letters Patent. 1 Pafented'Ap'r, 20, 1915.

. Application filed Apri117,1914. Serial No. 882,481.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. J onnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Shock-Ab sorbers, of which the following is .a specification. -f

My invention relates to improvements in automobile shock absorbers, and more particularly to shock absorbers of the auxiliary-- I spring type, supplementing the springs ofthecar. Y 7

One of the salient objects of my invention is to provide a shock absorber which may be used in either erect or pendent position, ac: cording to the relation of the hangers or suspension points upon the car, and having its' spring and spring-guiding mechanism 'completely housed and constructed to retain an oilbath Within the'housing to prevent noise and wear by affording constant lubrication.

Another objectof my invention is to pro- 'vide aconstructio'n which will not cramp or bind the relatively movable reciprocating parts of theshock absorber under the tw1st mg, strains thrown thereon in the rough use of the automobile, as for instance, when the car-runs into and out of ruts nearly parallel with its course of travel.

A further-object of my invention is to provide an improved connection between -m1ght be substituted wit one of the relatively reciprocating members of the shock absorber or hanger-member. 7

Further general objects of my are to are interchangeable for-ready replacement and repair. e

In the drawings wherein I- have illus trated a practical embodiment of my invention; Figure l is an elevation of a shock absorber embodying my invention applied in nmg gear member of a car of the Ford type of construction; Fig. 2 is an-enlarged section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fi 4 is aetransverse section on line 4-4 0 Fig.2. Fig. 5 isa vertical section v through a shock absorber applied in pendent position.

In Figs. 1 to 4, 10 and 11 indicate two hanger members respectively connected .With

againsta platform 14, whic and its suspension invention rovide a simple, neat and efficient shock a sorber, the parts of which are easily manufactured, assembled and adjusted, and

the running gear and frame of an automo b le, the construction specifically shown prov1ding a hanger member in the form of a bracket 10 for attachment to a rigid part of the running gear and the hanger 11, in the form of a leaf spring, for connection with a said spring having its end eye below and m'substantially vertical alinement with the eye of the bracket 10. This form of construction necessitates the placin of shock absorber in upright o'r erect position as shown in Fi 1.

In Fig. 5-the angers 10 and 11' are both springs, bracket), 1; e formerconnectible to the body Inthis form of construction the shock absorber will be placed in pendent position, as the hanger 10 has its eye below the hanger 11' and is bowed around the part 11.

I preferably construct m shock absorber .so that only a single absor er element need be used between the two each side of the car. I

12 indicates a head or abutment against which acts an open coiled sprin structure 13, preferably a single coil of f at springstock, the oppositeextremit of which bears is preferably a coil of relatively ly adapted for my ring arrangements retention of many hanger members on plate. The single spri arge diameter .18 especia construction but other s ofthe advantages of m invention. In plan outline the opposin boa "and 14 are prefiarab y substantially square. Throu beyon the circle of the s guide rods, '16, '-preferably our innumber, each engaging the latform 14! to move it, and extending ii edly through the head 12. For some 0 the purposes ofmy inventionthe guide rods 16 are, beyond the head 12, connected in pairs by yokes 17 of semicircular form, such construction referably being provided by bending roundProd-stock into U-formto constitute U-bolts 18 the extremities of which, beyond the platiorm 14, are screw'threaded to carry nut81 19, acting as abutments for the support of the (platform 14. The yoke ends 17 of the guide members on-the one hand, and the head 12 on the other, are respectively connected to the opposin hanger members 1110 or 10'-11', so t at when any shock is imparted to the running gear tending to separate the ring coil, pass although either, might be a- .of the car and the latter to the running gear. r

ring members 12- h the corners of thesetwo members,

' bloc a fliangers, the guide rods 16 will drawn 17 of the guide rods 16"and the remaming han r member are preferably cam members side walls 21 and aving their arcs shaped ]to conform to, and grooved to interfit w th,

the yokes 17 of thou-bolts.- A connectingthrough the 'head 12, carrying the'platforin compressing the sprm structure13. I refer that the head 12 s all be a castin aving .verticalside walls 21 each pro{ vided with postsg22 at its corners throu h which are made the iidlng apertures 23 or the guide rods 16. ese apertures are referably made large enoug toiafiord a re atively loose fit for thergds as part of the provision ag'ainstcrampmg I Spannin centrally across the s de-we 21, and so ciently beyond the head 12 for adequate clearance, is the pinj25 connected to the eye of one'of thehangers, as 10 or 10'. To receive such pin the si e walls 21 needonly be recessed or socketed, fromtheir outer edges for in action the pin-is held firml 1n its socket, receiving only a pressure ten g to seat it, under all operating conditions.-

The rocking connectors between the yokes in t e form of out blocks 28, having their chords restin on the flat edges of the bolt connects the two rockin'gblocks at an eccentric point beyond the center of curvature of the arc of the blocks. Where one of the hanger members is fixed, as is the lease. with the bracket 10, it is advantageous to employ a link connectionbetween one of the reciprocating members of the shock absorber and its hanger in order to take care-of the elongation. of t e spring member ll'without;

throwingthe shock absorber materially outof its vertical positiomf For this reason'I preferablyformeach'rocking member 28 as i a-link, by providing thereon, preferablyin tegrally withthefsectofl'ears 28 extending v a suitable distance beyondthe arc of-the,

' block and the connectingbolt 30.

putting these ears: on'the outside of the s, increased room is afforded between theblocks tor'eceiv'e' the springend 11-.

Howeve'n'such length'of linkage is not nec y essa'ry': ,whe'rejthe two hangers are both.

springs, and in such cases theaconstruction may beishort'ene'dgb' locating the bolt 30 in a positionfindicate "by SO -in Eig.. 5,,'-=the eccentricity being sufliclent to take'cjare of the slight difference in the extension or the hanger-springs, As shown in full lines'in'.

Fig. 5, however,'-the lon er Iink'age'may be emplo ed if-preferred. t willfbe observed or .bmdinugs tapered as; at 36 12, the guide rods 16 sliding readily through in position with the yokes 17 lying snugly in the t i tdisturbing the alinement of the uides 16in the uiding apertures 23, asa' urther prea .ventive against binding. It is "my preference,'although it is not, essential, to make the edges of the'blocks28'overlie the recesses 26 I of the side walls 21 so that, in shipping, the [pins 25' are held 'against' 'displacement from their'sockets.

oove in the blocks, said blocks may a htly under twisting strains without I- prefer that'the eorner'guides 16, which I lar cage" or the-single spring 13, shall be provided 'with 'sleeves of fiber or like material, throughout a suflicient' portion of their'extent. to aiford'centering bearing for wear. These sleeves may'also serve to close the 'guide openings -23 against oil egress whenthe absorber is used in an erect position. "In the specific construction shown in 'Fig:3,35 is a sleeve of fiber surrounding the-gu ide 16 and acted'on by a smallspring 36i co1led around the guide tobear'against may, and eferably. d as a m gu v the spring, insuring that the-spring action shall be" without noise and with minimum a packing washer 37 of leather, or the like, v, interposed between the end of the sleeve and the portion of the'. head 12, immediately,

around the guidingl'aperture 23. At the righthand side of said fi urees' represents a corresponding sleeve which; as an alternative constmction, has its lower extremity sponding tapered counter boreof the head,

sleeve '16, without danger 'of material oil A rectangular oblong casin 40 incases the 'parts above the head 12 and interfits neatly with jthe heatl'12, to which itjifi Suitably and'forced into a 'corre- ;12-,'so dispensin with thespring36r Either Y "construction a ords an oil-proof joint be I '1' tween-the hcadiand the sleeve" so that the casing hereafter described ma be flooded v withoil to any level below the eight of the secured. Preferably the casing is secured in place-by a rod 41, fixedly screwed'in the. head 12, extending. through a; guiding aper- I thence t rough, an aperture cent-rallyjin the end. of the cas-* ture -14"*i1 i the platform 14,

and'carrying the fastening nut 42.

ing', vor convenience in'filling the casing with oil-said casing maybe provided :in its end 7 with an open1ng43, arranged'to' be opened and closed as-there'is brou ht'into or out of register therewith 'anopenmg 44in a cover plate 4 5, heldin position b the-nut .42;v this being merely one-'avai able-form of affording an oil inlet at any suitablepointin the casing. 5

Inoperationgitawill be observed, the relativese aration of the two points. of connection 0 the shock absorber with the. hanger will pull the platform 14 toward the head ture in the platform 14,-obviates any ossibility of the platform 1 pulling out 0 ,line,

and causes it to travel on a' right line directly toward the head 12. Double guidance is thus afforded on the one hand by the guides 16 in the head openings and on the other hand by the rigid rod 41 and platform opening, and this arrangement very effectively acts to prevent any bindin of the sliding members, avoiding a troub e which seriously cripples many forms of shock absorbeis, under road conditions particularly. The engagement of rod 41*with the casing 40 both aid m maintaining the rod in proper position and in giving proper rigidity and roper position to the casin When the shock absorber 15 used in pendent position it may readily be made to act as an oil-check to snub the recoil, and to this end, as shown in Fi 5, I make the latform 14 solid, and o a size quite neat y' to interfit with the casing, such latform having made therein a series 0 openings 50 contiguous to the lide aperture for the rod 41, .these openings being covered on their under side by an outwardly opening valve, such as a leather,,flap 51, springpressed into valve closing position by a small, light spring 52 of great expansibility, interposed between the bottom of the casing and the leather valve. In this form of construction, when the platform 14 rises under shock, the oil may readily force its way through the valved openings 50 against the resistance of the light spring 52, so-at the.

commencement of the return movement said spring and the oil body both tend toclose the valve, leaving, as theonly return pas-.

sage for the oil, the relatively. restricted space between the platform 14 and the casing wall. Thus the return of the platform 14 to original position must be slow and tooactive recoil is snubbed, so that on a series of successive shocks the wave-like vibration orcontinuing bouncing, of the car is prevented: The same form of construction may obviously. be used-when the shock absorber is in erect position, acting however as an air check, but for the simplest and the most inexpensive construction such feature may well-be omitted and I have not, therefore, shown it inconnection with Figs. 1 to 3.

As a detail of manufacturing procedure, making for perfection in the mechanicalembodiment of my invention, I preferably enamel the casing and head exteriorly by dipping the assembled device. the enamel extending over the joint of casing and head,

and completel" sealin' the ahead at at joint'therebetw een. V y

' While I have herein described 'in some de+ tail, forpurposes of full disclosureof my invention, articularly details 'of construction .which have found to be advantageous and practical, it be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes the details of the mechanism might be made "without departure from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a. shock absorber, the combination with a head, adapted for connection with one hanger member of an automobile, an opposed platform, and an interposed springstructure, of a plurality of guides connected for movement with the platform, and extending through the head for. connection with a second automobile hanger a casing for said parts, having a bottom and a guide forsaid platform extending through the same and rigidly connected withthe head andthe casing bottom and securing said casin in place. A

2. n a shock absorber, the combination with a head adapted for connection with an automobile hanger-member, an opposed platform, and an interposed spring; .of guides connected with said platform for movement therewith guidedly extending through said head, and beyond said head connected by an arcuate yoke, and a segment "block engaged between said head and said yoke, for a rocking movement against the tension of said spring.

3. n a shock absorber, the combination of a head, an opposed platform, and an interposed spring, of two pairs of guides connected with said platform to move therewith, guidedly extending through the head, and connected in pairs by two arcuate yokes, segment blocks between the respective yokes and the head, arranged to rock against the tension of the spring means, and a hanger receiving connection associated with said blocks. r v

4. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head, an opposed platform, interposed spring means, a pair of guide members extending from said platform for movement therewith guidedly through the head, and a rocking link coacting with the said pair of guides in said'head by its rocking'inovement to tension said spring, whereby said link is normally spring maintained in predetermined position.

5.- In a shock absorber, the combination with a head, an opposed platform, and interposed spring means, of two pairs of guides connected with the said platform for movement therewith and guidcdly extending through the head, two rocking members associated -with the respective pairs of guides for rocking movement to tension the spring means, and a hanger connector spanning said two rocking members and ar- 5 ranged for movement to rock the same.

6. In a shock absorber, the combination with a head, an opposed latform, and interposed spring means; 0 a pair of U-bolts having arcuate yokes, the stems of said U- 1: bolts passing through the head-and connected with the platform for movement therewith, segment blocks coacting with the yokes of said U-bolts, and a hanger connector spanning said segment blocks and arranged eccentrically to their arcuate centers.

7. In a shock absorber, the combination with a head, an opposed platform, and interposed spring means; of a pair of U-bolts having arcuate yokes, the stems of said U- bolts passing through the head and connected with the platform for movement therewith, segment blocks engaging the areuate yokes of said U-bolts and having extension ears therebeyond, and a hanger con- 20 nector spanning said ears.

8. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head having side walls, a hanger connector between the side walls, a platform opposing said head, spring-means inter osed between said platforms and said hea s, U-

bolts guidedly extending through said head and engaging said platform for movement therewith, blocks having arcuate surfaces engaging said U-bolts, and a hanger con- 3 nector spanning said blocks eccentrically to their arcuate center.

9. In a shock absorber, the combination with a head having externalside wall extensions, an opposed latform, and inter- 40 posed spring means, 0 a hanger connector engaged in recesses in said side Wall extensions, a pair of U-bolts having arcuate yokes, each U bolt having its stems extending guidedly through the heads and engaging the platform, arcuate blocks engaging said arcuate yokes and normally closing said connector-receiving recesses in the side walls of the head, and a hanger connector carried by said arcuate blocks.

- 10. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head, a hanger connector associated therewith, a rocking link on one side of said head, a hanger connector associated there with, a guide associated with said rocking 5 link to be moved b the'rocking of said link, and extending t rough said head, and spring means'associated with said head and said guide operating to oppose-separation of said hanger members and to be tensioned by rocking of the links.

11. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head, a casing cooperating with said head, a longitudinal rigid connection between said casing and head extending 55 through the casing fixed in the head and securing the casing to the head aplatform in said casing guided on said rigid connections, spring means interposed between said platform and head, guide members connected with said platform and extending through said head, a hanger connector associated with said guide members and a hanger connector associated with said head. 12. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head, a casing cooperating with said head, a longitudinal rigid connection between said casing and head extending through the casing andsecuring it to the head, a platform 1n said casing guided on said rigid connection, spring means interposed between. said platform and head, guide members connected with said platform 7 and extending through said head, a hanger connector associated with said guide members, and a hanger connector associated with said head.

13. In a shock absorber, the combination of a head, a casing cooperating with said head to form a substantially closed chamber adapted to contain a body of oil, guidesextending through said head into said chamber, a platform connecting said guides, spring means interposed between said plat form and head, sleeves surrounding said guides and making tight joint with the head, and hanger connectors respectively connected with said guides and with said head.

14. In a shock absorber, the combination with a casing providing a bottom hem] and inclosing side walls, a guide extending through said head, spring means interposed between the upper end of said guide and the head, of a sleeve surrounding said guide and making tight contact with the head, whereby said casing may be filled with oil to the upper end of the sleeve without leakage around the guide.

15. In a shock absorber, the combination with a substantially closed casinghaving a head and an' opposing end, and "made in a plurality of parts, guides extendin through the head, a platform on the gui es, and a spring means interposed between sald head and platform, of a central guide rod guidingly extendin through said platform and at opposite en fastened tosaid head and to the casing end to secure the casing parts together, and a valve structure associated with said platform to open and close apertures provided therein as the. platform is respectively moved -toward and, from the head, said valve structure surrounding and "being guided on said central rod.

16. In a shock absorber, the combination of a rectangular casing, a substantially square head therefor, a substantially square platform slidable within the casing, a clrcular coiled spring within the casing between the head and platform, rods extending guidedly through corners of the head and cm gaging the platform beyond the spring-confines, a central rod carried by the head and engaging the end of the casing, and retaining means on said rod, fastening said casing axially to the head.

17. In a shock absorber, the combination of a rectangular casing, a substantially square head therefor, a substantially square platform slidable within the casing, a circular coiled spring within the casing between the head and platform, rods extending guidedly through corners of the head and engaging the latform be 0nd the springconfines, a centre rod carried by the head and engaging the end of the casing, and guidingly engaging the platform, and means on said rod fastening the casing axially to said head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A e-JOHNSON. In the presence of .GEO. '1. MAY, Jr., MARY F. ALLEN. 

